The Waffen-SS (German for "Armed SS", literally "Weapons SS") was the combat arm of the Schutzstaffel. It was founded in Germany in 1939 after the SS was split into 2 organisations: Allgemeine-SS and the Waffen-SS. The title of Waffen-SS became official on March 2nd, 1940.

Headed by Reichsfuhrer-SS Heinrich Himmler, the Waffen-SS saw action throughout the Second World War. It had three sub-organizations:

Leibstandarte - Adolf Hitler's bodyguard regiment.
Totenkopfverbande - Administered the concentration camps.
Verfugungstruppe - Up to 39 divisions in World War II that served as elite combat troops alongside the regular army Wehrmacht. In the testimony given at the Nuremberg Trials, the Waffen-SS was condemned as a criminal organization due to their involvement with the National Socialist German Workers Party (NSDAP), except conscripts, who were exempted from the judgment on the basis of involuntary servitude. Therefore Waffen-SS veterans were denied many of the rights afforded to other German combat veterans who had served in the Heer, Luftwaffe or Kriegsmarine.

Pictured here is a 1:30 scale German soldier from the Panzer Lehr Division assuming an advancing stance. Sold Out!